Australia’s Aboriginal people arrived in Australia by boat from South East Asia during the last Ice Age, at least 50,000 years ago. At the time of the European discovery and settlement, one million of Aboriginal people lived across the continent as hunters and gatherers. They were divided in 300 clans and spoke 250 languages and 700 dialects. Each clan had a spiritual connection with a specific piece of land.
The arrival of the European
In the 17th century, Australia was known as New Holland. However it wasn’t until 1770 that Captain James Cook chartered the east coast and claimed it for Britain. The new outpost was put to use as a penal colonyuntil penal transportation ended in 1868. On 26 January 1788, the First Fleet of 11 ships carrying 1,500 people arrived in Sydney Harbour.
Life was very hard, especially for women who were outnumbered.
New territories
By the 1820s, many people came from Great Britain in search of a job to support their family.
The colonists decided to expand the territory in possession of the British. On the occasion, they brought with them weapons to conquer and subjugate the local tribes. In 1825, a party of soldiers and convicts settled in the territory of the Yuggera people (modern Brisbane). At the same time a private British company, proud to have no convict links, settled Adelaide in South Australia.
Australia becomes a nation
Australia’s six states became a nation under a single constitution on 1 January 1901. The six states were New South Wales, Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Queensland. Discussions between Australian and British representatives led to adoption by the British Government of an act to constitute the Commonwealth of Australia in 1900. Today Australia is home to people from more than 200 countries.
Australians go to war
The First World War had a devastating effect on Australia. There were less than 3 million men in 1914, yet almost 400,000 of them volunteered to fight in the war. An estimated 60,000 died and tens of thousands were wounded. Australia, in 1929, was struck by the Great Depression which caused social and economic divisions and many Australian financial institutions failed. During the Second World War, Australian forces made a significant contribution to the Allied victory in Europe, Asia and the Pacific. The generation that fought in the war and survived came out of it with a sense of pride in Australia’s capabilities.
Aboriginal rights
Like many other countries, Australia was swept up in the revolutionary atmosphere of the 1960s. Australia’s new ethnic diversity, increasing independence from Britain and popular resistance to the Vietnam War all contributed to an atmosphere of political, economic and social change. In 1967, Australians voted overwhelmingly ‘yes’ in a national referendum to let the federal government make laws on behalf of Aboriginal Australians and include them in future censuses. The result was the culmination of a strong reform campaign by both Aboriginal and white Australians.
In 1901, the Commonwealth of Australia was formed. Until this time, Australia used Britain's flag, the Union Jack.
In the top left hand corner there is the Union Jack because in the past Australia was a part of the British Commonwealth.
Under the Union Jack there is a large white star with seven points. The points represent the seven states and the territories. Originally this star had six points; the seventh was added in 1908 after the conquest of a new territory.
On the right hand side there are the stars of the Southern Cross. The Southern Cross was chosen because it can always be seen in the Australian sky at night.
The Aboriginal Flag
The Aboriginal Flag was designed by Harold Thomas, an artist and an Aboriginal, in 1971. The flag was designed to be a symbol for the Aboriginal people and a symbol of their race and identity. The black represents the Aboriginal people, the red the earth and their spiritual relationship to the land, and the yellow the sun, the giver of life.
In the late 1960s, Aborigines protested for their rights with protest marches, demonstrations, banners and posters. But the Aboriginal people were in inferiority and it was for this reason that in the 1970s, Harold Thomas decided to unify the flags to unite all the tribes.
The Aboriginal flag made its first appearance during the Aboriginal day in Victoria Square in Adelaide on National Aboriginal Day in 1971, but was adopted nationally by Aborigines in 1972.
‘Advance Australia Fair’ is the national anthem of Australia, it was officially declared the national anthem on 19 April 1984. It was composed by Peter Dodds McCormick.
The official anthem was ‘God Save the Queen’ (or ‘King’) from 1788 to 1974. In later years it was decided to change the anthem. The proposals were: ‘Advance Australia Fair’, ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and ‘Song of Australia’.
The quest for an Australian national anthem continued. In 1974 a public opinion poll sampled an estimated 60 000 people to select from three possible anthems. ‘Advance Australia Fair’ polled 51.4 per cent. Following this result the then Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, announced that ‘Advance Australia Fair’ would be the national anthem but only on certain occasions,in the others they decided to use ‘God Save the Queen’.
In May 1977, however, a national poll was conducted to ascertain the public choice of a national song. The results were: ‘Advance Australia Fair’ 43.2 per cent, ‘Waltzing Matilda’ 28.3 per cent, ‘God Save the Queen’ 18.7 per cent and ‘Song of Australia’ 9.6 per cent.
Usually ‘God Save the Queen’ is played at the start of Royal functions and ‘Advance Australia Fair’ at the end.
ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR
Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil;
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in nature’s gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history’s page, let every stage
Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.
Beneath our radiant Southern Cross
We’ll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who’ve come across the seas
We’ve boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.
One last exercise, this time about the national anthem you have just read:
ABORIGINAL PEOPLE
Australia’s Aboriginal people arrived in Australia by boat from South East Asia during the last Ice Age, at least 50,000 years ago. At the time of the European discovery and settlement, one million of Aboriginal people lived across the continent as hunters and gatherers. They were divided in 300 clans and spoke 250 languages and 700 dialects. Each clan had a spiritual connection with a specific piece of land.
The arrival of the EuropeanIn the 17th century, Australia was known as New Holland. However it wasn’t until 1770 that Captain James Cook chartered the east coast and claimed it for Britain. The new outpost was put to use as a penal colonyuntil penal transportation ended in 1868. On 26 January 1788, the First Fleet of 11 ships carrying 1,500 people arrived in Sydney Harbour.
Life was very hard, especially for women who were outnumbered.
New territoriesBy the 1820s, many people came from Great Britain in search of a job to support their family.
The colonists decided to expand the territory in possession of the British. On the occasion, they brought with them weapons to conquer and subjugate the local tribes. In 1825, a party of soldiers and convicts settled in the territory of the Yuggera people (modern Brisbane). At the same time a private British company, proud to have no convict links, settled Adelaide in South Australia.
Australia becomes a nationAustralia’s six states became a nation under a single constitution on 1 January 1901. The six states were New South Wales, Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Queensland. Discussions between Australian and British representatives led to adoption by the British Government of an act to constitute the Commonwealth of Australia in 1900. Today Australia is home to people from more than 200 countries.
Australians go to war
The First World War had a devastating effect on Australia. There were less than 3 million men in 1914, yet almost 400,000 of them volunteered to fight in the war. An estimated 60,000 died and tens of thousands were wounded. Australia, in 1929, was struck by the Great Depression which caused social and economic divisions and many Australian financial institutions failed. During the Second World War, Australian forces made a significant contribution to the Allied victory in Europe, Asia and the Pacific. The generation that fought in the war and survived came out of it with a sense of pride in Australia’s capabilities.
Aboriginal rights
Like many other countries, Australia was swept up in the revolutionary atmosphere of the 1960s. Australia’s new ethnic diversity, increasing independence from Britain and popular resistance to the Vietnam War all contributed to an atmosphere of political, economic and social change. In 1967, Australians voted overwhelmingly ‘yes’ in a national referendum to let the federal government make laws on behalf of Aboriginal Australians and include them in future censuses. The result was the culmination of a strong reform campaign by both Aboriginal and white Australians.
Modified from here
Check what you have learnt now.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/47621644/Es.1-aborigeni.htmAUSTRALIA'S NATIONAL FLAG
In 1901, the Commonwealth of Australia was formed. Until this time, Australia used Britain's flag, the Union Jack.
In the top left hand corner there is the Union Jack because in the past Australia was a part of the British Commonwealth.
Under the Union Jack there is a large white star with seven points. The points represent the seven states and the territories. Originally this star had six points; the seventh was added in 1908 after the conquest of a new territory.
On the right hand side there are the stars of the Southern Cross. The Southern Cross was chosen because it can always be seen in the Australian sky at night.
The Aboriginal Flag
The Aboriginal Flag was designed by Harold Thomas, an artist and an Aboriginal, in 1971. The flag was designed to be a symbol for the Aboriginal people and a symbol of their race and identity. The black represents the Aboriginal people, the red the earth and their spiritual relationship to the land, and the yellow the sun, the giver of life.
In the late 1960s, Aborigines protested for their rights with protest marches, demonstrations, banners and posters. But the Aboriginal people were in inferiority and it was for this reason that in the 1970s, Harold Thomas decided to unify the flags to unite all the tribes.
The Aboriginal flag made its first appearance during the Aboriginal day in Victoria Square in Adelaide on National Aboriginal Day in 1971, but was adopted nationally by Aborigines in 1972.
Modified from here
Check what you have learnt now! Here is an exercise on the flag:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/47621644/es3FLAG%20Australia.htmNATIONAL ANTHEM
‘Advance Australia Fair’ is the national anthem of Australia, it was officially declared the national anthem on 19 April 1984. It was composed by Peter Dodds McCormick.
The official anthem was ‘God Save the Queen’ (or ‘King’) from 1788 to 1974. In later years it was decided to change the anthem. The proposals were: ‘Advance Australia Fair’, ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and ‘Song of Australia’.
The quest for an Australian national anthem continued. In 1974 a public opinion poll sampled an estimated 60 000 people to select from three possible anthems. ‘Advance Australia Fair’ polled 51.4 per cent. Following this result the then Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, announced that ‘Advance Australia Fair’ would be the national anthem but only on certain occasions,in the others they decided to use ‘God Save the Queen’.
In May 1977, however, a national poll was conducted to ascertain the public choice of a national song. The results were: ‘Advance Australia Fair’ 43.2 per cent, ‘Waltzing Matilda’ 28.3 per cent, ‘God Save the Queen’ 18.7 per cent and ‘Song of Australia’ 9.6 per cent.
Usually ‘God Save the Queen’ is played at the start of Royal functions and ‘Advance Australia Fair’ at the end.
ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR
Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil;
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in nature’s gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history’s page, let every stage
Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.
Beneath our radiant Southern Cross
We’ll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who’ve come across the seas
We’ve boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.
One last exercise, this time about the national anthem you have just read:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/47621644/es4Australia%20anthem.htmThe other songs were:
Waltzing Matilda
Song of Australia
God Save the Queen
Modified from here
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